Jae-Seung Lee, PhD has a strong background in experimental physics and NMR spectroscopy, and his overarching career goal is to become an independent academic research scientist working at the interface between Physics, Chemistry, and Medicine in the area of MRI diagnostics. To achieve this long-term goal, Dr. Lee plans to extend his research area into the medical sciences through a plan for acquiring clinical medical imaging and radiology expertise, as well as, learning essential skills of the preparation of clinical studies. Dr. Lee is currently a postdoctoral researcher at the Radiology Department at New York University Langone Medical Center. Under the guidance of the mentoring team (mentor: Dr. Sodickson, co-mentors: Dr. Regatte, Dr. Jerschow, Dr. Thorsten Kirsch, Dr. Peter Walker, Dr. Steven Abramson, collaborator: Dr. Recht) , Dr. Lee will enter a rigorous training program consisting of (1) hands-on research training in advanced MRI technologies, (2) formal didactic training via graduate courses in advanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Cartilage Biology, Medicine, Biomechanics, Biostatistics, and Clinical Trials Design, (3) contribution to journal clubs and group meetings in the research groups of the mentor and co-mentors, (4) participation in national and international conferences and symposia, and (5) participation in training courses in the responsible conduct of research. The proposed research is devoted to the development of sodium MRI contrast techniques by applying optimal control theory, dedicated to the diagnosis of important diseases related to musculoskeletal disorders. These diseases can be monitored by measuring the amount of sodium in tissues, since it relates to the concentration of glycosaminoglycans in cartilage and the intervertebral disc. These concentrations, in turn, are important indicators for the onset of disorders. Using optimal control theory, Dr. Lee plans to design optimal RF excitation schemes for creating new sodium contrast in tissues. In addition, optimal detection schemes will be designed for faster scan times, and finally, to translate the developed methods to clinical practice, thereby making sodium MRI a readily available diagnostic tool.